“Crews attacked and quickly knocked it down within 10 minutes,” said Pat Kline, a division commander with the fire service. Kline said the fire was located on the second floor of the structure.

Halifax Fire investigators have finished working at the scene, but had not made a final determination on the cause as of Sunday morning.

A cinder block fire wall helped contain the flames to the right side of the three-storey building. The floor of the third storey had burned through and partially collapsed in the back, as had the stairs to the third floor.

Jennifer Hilder, whose mother lives next to the fire site, came rushing to the scene after being called by her aunt, who also lives on Armshore Drive

“She said ‘There’s been an explosion next to your mother’s house. Get down here now.’”

Hilder said her mother and the house seem to be fine, although two cats are missing.

“My mom was in the house when it happened. She’s OK (but) she’s pretty shaken.”

Kline said an investigation would look at the cause of the fire. Although neighbours said construction crews at the site worked with compressed air, Kline said there didn’t appear to be any kind of tanks when firefighters arrived.

“There’s some reports that there might have been people in the building, like just kids using it as a fort,” he said. “It’s been under construction so it’s been wide open.”

A passerby Sunday morning said the property had been under construction for close to a year, but it had taken some time to pound through the rock to clear the site and start pouring concrete.